The present invention relates to an inspection system, and more particularly to a cigarette inspection system for primarily detecting the presence or absence of internal and end filter components after the cigarette is fully assembled.
In today""s cigarette manufacturing machinery, inspection devices have been proposed that inspect for missing cigarette filters and missing filter segments on cigarettes that require xe2x80x9ccombinedxe2x80x9d or multiple component filters. For the most part these inspection systems either inspect for the filter segment prior to the final assembly of the cigarette components, i.e., application of the tipping paper, or inspect only the exposed visible filter end of a completely assembled cigarette. However, once the final assembly step of applying tipping paper is carried out, internal filter component or components are sandwiched between the cigarette tobacco rod and the outer filter component, and these internal filter components are not visible.
Inspecting for the presence or absence of internal filter components after the final assembly of the cigarette, i.e., after tipping paper has been applied, is believed to be the only way to achieve 100% confidence that internal filter components are in fact in place. This is because inspection sensors positioned earlier in the cigarette assembly or filter inspection process fail to provide such confidence as missing internal filter components may occur during the process of applying the tipping paper. Accordingly, inspecting for internal filter components after being surrounded by the tipping paper is the only way of assuring with a high level of confidence that no cigarette with a missing component is forwarded downstream of the cigarette-making machinery.
Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is an inspection system that inspects for the presence or absence of an internal filter component after the tipping paper has been applied.
Another object of the present invention is an inspection system which is simple in operation but highly effective and reliable in removing selected cigarettes from a very high speed stream of cigarettes during production thereof.
Another object of the present invention is a cigarette inspection system that uses sensors to inspect through the tipping paper for the presence or absence of internal filter components in a completely assembled cigarette.
Still another object of the present invention is an inspection system that inspects for the presence or absence of a visible end filter component as well as an internal filter component.